Anonymous #003

Submitter information

Name

Anonymous #003

Where are you located?

Victoria

What type of area do you live in?

Metropolitan

Are you an education professional?
(e.g. teacher, school leader, learning support assistant, teacher’s aide)

No

Elevating the profession

The actions proposed recognise the value teachers bring to students, communities and the economy.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Improving teacher supply

The actions proposed will be effective in increasing the number of students entering ITE, number of students completing ITE and the number of teachers staying in and/or returning to the profession.

Somewhat agree

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

I agree with the proposed actions to address the teacher shortage and the status of teachers in this country, though I do think that the strategy is neglecting a key metric.
I am personally in a situation in which I would like to become a teacher, but the amount of fee-help debt I have accrued essentially disallows me from post-graduate study in this country, unless I acquire the large amounts of money to pay up front, or if I secured a Commonwealth Assisted Place; a master's of teaching at Melbourne University is currently estimated at $60,000 for the total course, for example.
Granted, plenty of people who have completed their undergraduate have far less fee-help debt than I do. Even then, a person who has not failed a single subject through the duration of their undergraduate study may be saddled with about $40,000 fee-help debt.
The problem here, as I see it, and am experiencing first hand is that the current system (many of the problems of which have been dramatically exacerbated by the previous government by inflating the prices of non stem courses and lowering the fee-help threshold), is punishing towards those who took a longer and more complicated road towards completing their undergraduate education.
A lot of people with chronic physical and mental health conditions will often have larger fee-help balances due to having complicated circumstances related to their conditions.
I believe the current environment surrounding fees punishes people in this circumstance; once many of these individuals have completed their study, which they have been encouraged to do, often under the guise that doing so will help lead them to a career that will afford them a good quality of life, they are instead punished by being disallowed into post-graduate study because of their debt.
This is a population within our country, myself included, that wants to be involved and to make a contribution, but the systems in place prevent them from doing so.
If the government wishes to address the teacher shortage, it must dramatically reduce the fee-help cost of post-graduate, higher education teaching courses, increase the fee-help limit or offer some form of debt forgiveness.

Strengthening Initial Teacher Education (ITE)

The actions proposed will ensure initial teacher education supports teacher supply and quality.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Maximising the time to teach

The actions proposed will improve retention and free up teachers to focus on teaching and collaboration.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better understanding future teacher workforce needs

How effective are the proposed actions in better understanding future teacher workforce needs, including the number of teachers required?

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?

Better career pathways to support and retain teachers in the profession

The proposed actions will improve career pathways, including through streamlining the process for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher (HALT) accreditation, and providing better professional support for teachers to retain them in the profession.

Would you like to provide feedback about these actions?